Are accelerated nursing programs for you?
By 2012 the US Department of Labor estimates there will be a need for more than one million new and replacement Registered Nurses in the US. As a result many nursing schools across the country are trying to find ways in which to increase school capacity and reach more new students. One such way is fast track nursing schools which provide accelerated nursing programs for non-nursing graduates. These nursing schools offer both a Baccalaureate and Master's Degree programs which build on you prior learning experiences. Thus they provide a means for those individuals who have undergraduate degrees in some other fields to transfer into accelerated nursing programs.
Such accelerated programs offer the student the quickest route to a license as a Registered Nurse for those who have already completed a Bachelor's or Graduate's degree in some other field. Such programs take between 11 to 18 months to finish and include prerequisites, While a fast track master's degree program will generally take the students about 3 years to finish.
At present such accelerated nursing programs are available in 43 states across the US and also in the District of Columbia. By July 2006 there were 173 accelerated baccalaureate programs and just under 50 accelerated master's programs to be found at nursing schools across the country. And as of July 2006 there around 40 accelerated bachelor programs in the planning stage along with 17 accelerated master's programs.
What are accelerated nursing programs about?
These programs accomplish the required training in a short time since they build on your previous learning experiences. The instruction provided on these programs is intense as the courses are offered to students full time with no breaks between sessions. However the students on these programs get the same number of hours as those of their counterparts who are using traditional nursing schools.
Admission standards are high and they will usually require the student to have a minimum of 3.0 GPA, and the student will usually have to go through a screening process before they are accepted. But those who eventually are accepted for these programs are encouraged NOT to also try and hold down a full time job, as the pressures that are associated with this intense training will make it hard for them to be able to complete the degree requirements.
The nursing schools which provide accelerated nursing programs are specifically designed for those individuals who have already proven their ability to succeed at a college or university. Many students who have already finished either a bachelor's degree, or are graduate degree students tend to be attracted to fast track programs as they are the natural next step in their higher education and a successful nursing career.
Published March 6th, 2007
